Hardship Grants

Last updated October 26, 2026

Grantable tracks 1,192 active hardship grants in its free grants database, drawn from foundation sources and updated daily. 41 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 467 list an award amount, with a median of $2,500.

Grants tracked: 1,192; from 900 funders
Median award: $2,500; middle half $1,000–$10K
Total listed funding: $27.8M; across 467 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 286; 24 with a published date

On this page: Foundation · Updated daily

Find the hardship grants matched to your org

Free, no account to start — Grantable's AI ranks all 1,188 on mission, geography, and award size in a few minutes.

Start finding grants

Sort

Type

State

Amount

Eligibility

Include closed grants

Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Detroit Small Business Stabilization Fund (DSBSF) Wayne State University Research and Technology Park in the City of Detroit · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K Emergency COVID-19 relief grant program launched March 18, 2020, to provide immediate financial support to small businesses impacted by the pandemic.	Not published	Up to $5K
Rapid Response Grant Program Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County Inc · Foundation Not published · $76K Emergency grant program designed to address immediate needs of nonprofit organizations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.	Not published	$76K
Rental Assistance Fund (NYC) The Okra Project · Foundation Not published · Varies The Okra Project provides the community with rental support during winter.	Not published	Varies
Elsie and Pansy Allen Memorial Fund Davie Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Provide financial assistance to residents experiencing hardship due to illness or medical conditions	Rolling	Varies
Stronger Together Fund Coalition of Asian American Leaders · Foundation Not published · Up to $10K CAAL Ignite aims to support Asian Minnesotan organizations who are supporting the most vulnerable segments of the community during the pandemic, with a focus on: The fund prioritizes support for vulnerable Asian Minnesotan community…	Not published	Up to $10K
Quality of Life (QOL) Grants Jack Trottier Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Up to $8K	Rolling	Up to $8K
Hunter Brown Emergency Assistance Fund Grant Entertainment Community Fund · Foundation Not published · Varies Emergency Financial Assistance is available to eligible performing arts and entertainment professionals: In times of unexpected critical need.To assist towards basic living expenses, such as health care, housing and utilities to prevent…	Not published	Varies
YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties Scholarships Grant YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties · Foundation Not published · Varies The YMCA of Pierce and Kitsap Counties offers scholarships designed to eliminate financial barriers to access Y programs and services.	Not published	Varies
Immediate-Need Investments The New Commonwealth Racial Equity and Social Justice Fund Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies _NOTE: Currently open and reviewed on a quarterly basis._ We activate a respect-based grantmaking approach that prioritizes historically underfunded organizations in Massachusetts whose leaders are building shared narratives, empowering…	Not published	Varies
Continuing Education Scholarships Blue Ridge Community College Educational Foundation Inc · Foundation Rolling · Varies Financial assistance for continuing education students in need	Rolling	Varies
Patient Assistance Fund Have a Heart Save a Heart · Foundation Not published · Varies This fund appears to be in development with additional details to be announced.	Not published	Varies
NMCF: Vecino - Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund Grant New Mexico Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Vecino – Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund, managed by the New Mexico Foundation, aims to support nonprofit organizations facing financial crises and addressing urgent community needs.	Not published	Varies
Pastors Assistance Fund Lutheran Social Services Foundation of Southern California · Foundation Not published · $500 – $1K A private fund administered by the Lutheran Social Services of Southern California Foundation designed to provide financial assistance to Lutheran pastors and their surviving spouses who face unexpected financial hardship.	Not published	$500 – $1K
Pat Gainey Student Award North Carolina High School Athletic Association Inc · Foundation Not published · $5K The Pat Gainey Student Award is given annually by the NCHSAA through a private donation from Pat Gainey's daughter, Berry Jo Gainey Shoen.	Not published	$5K
Individual Grants for Speech Therapy, Therapeutic Summer Camps, or Assistive Devices Small Steps in Speech · Foundation Not published · Varies Small Steps in Speech is offering Individual Grants for Speech Therapy, Therapeutic Summer Camps, or Assistive Devices. Effective February 2, 2024, families with a joint household income of up to $125,000 can apply.	Not published	Varies
Disaster Recovery Fund Grant Cooperative Development Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The Disaster Recovery Fund supports efforts to help cooperatives and their members recovering from natural disasters and other crises or emergency hardship situations.	Not published	Varies
Family Services Program - Rental Assistance (Home-ARP) Crawford-Sebastian Community Development Council Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $2K Family Services provides rental assistance to prevent eviction of low-income households on a first-come, first-served basis. This is a one-time assistance per grant period.	Not published	Up to $2K
Employee Crisis Assistance Program Sanford Health Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies A lifeline assistance program providing financial support to Sanford Health employees facing extraordinary and unexpected financial hardships.	Not published	Varies
Jordan Wilcox Pediatric Cancer Fund Grant Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers · Foundation Not published · $400 The Jordan Wilcox Pediatric Cancer Fund Grant provides critical financial assistance to low or moderate-income families in Bradford, Sullivan, and Tioga Counties in Pennsylvania, as well as Tioga County, NY.	Not published	$400
COVID-19 Relief Fund Old Greenwood Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · $100K – $250K Emergency funds for essential services including:	Not published	$100K – $250K
COVID-19 Relief Grants for Small Businesses and Nonprofits Arizona Community Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Funding was delivered through ACF's ongoing partnerships with Maricopa County and the City of Phoenix to provide COVID-19 pandemic relief.	Not published	Varies
Physicians Aid Association Grant Physicians Aid Association · Foundation Not published · Varies The Physicians Aid Association Grant provides essential financial support to physicians facing unforeseen hardships.	Not published	Varies
IATSE Local 600: Emergency Industry Slowdown Relief Grant Entertainment Community Fund · Foundation Not published · Varies The IATSE Local 600 Emergency Industry Slowdown Relief Grant offers vital financial assistance to performing arts and entertainment professionals facing unexpected hardships.	Not published	Varies
DGF Bridge Grants The Dramatists Guild Fund Inc · Foundation Not published · $500 The DGF Bridge Grants provide essential financial support of $500 to professional dramatists facing hardships. This one-time award helps cover non-emergency daily expenses such as housing, utilities, and healthcare.	Not published	$500

Showing 481–504 of 1,188

About hardship grants

Hardship and emergency grants provide immediate financial relief during crises — job loss, medical emergencies, natural disasters, and other unexpected setbacks. Government programs, community foundations, and organizations like the Salvation Army and Modest Needs offer grants to help individuals and families stabilize during difficult times.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do hardship grants award?

Of the 1,192 hardship grants Grantable lists as of October 26, 2026, 467 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $2,500, and the middle half fall between $1,000 and $10K. The largest is $4.5M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most hardship grants?

By number of active listings, the leading funders are Healthwell Foundation (17), Entertainment Community Fund (13), Community in Action (8), Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation Inc (7), and Begin Again Foundation (6). In all, 900 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are hardship grants due?

Of 1,192 grants listed, 286 accept applications on a rolling basis, 24 have a published upcoming deadline, 323 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 559 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site. Among dated deadlines, 63% fall in October–December.

How quickly can I get emergency grant funding?

Emergency assistance timelines vary. Government programs like TANF and LIHEAP may take 1-4 weeks. Organizations like the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities can sometimes provide same-week help. Modest Needs processes applications within 2-4 weeks. Employer emergency funds and GoFundMe-style platforms can be faster. Always apply to multiple sources simultaneously.

What types of emergencies qualify for hardship grants?

Common qualifying situations include job loss, medical emergencies, domestic violence, natural disasters, house fires, sudden disability, and death of a family breadwinner. Each program defines eligibility differently. FEMA covers declared disasters, while organizations like Modest Needs help with temporary financial crises that could become permanent without intervention.

Where should I start looking for emergency assistance?

Contact 211 (call or text) for your local area's emergency assistance programs. Your state's Department of Social Services handles TANF and emergency aid. Local community action agencies coordinate multiple assistance programs. Churches, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and St. Vincent de Paul societies offer direct emergency help.

Get a shortlist of hardship grants built for your organization

Tell Grantable's AI about your nonprofit and it ranks these grants on mission, geography, and award fit — then emails you a personalized shortlist with the reasoning for each. Free, no account to start.

Find my grants — emailed to me

Your AI grants department